Gaming giant Nintendo noted today that it will soon cease production of the Aqua Blue 3DS in Japan.

The announcement comes a few months after the debut of a Cobalt Blue 3DS in Japan, which seems likely to arrive in the U.S. sometime in the near future. For those of you still keeping up with the crazy color calamity, Nintendo also plans a Midnight Purple 3DS shade, set to debut in May.

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On hearing about the nixing of Aqua Blue, my colleague (and CNET editor) John Falcone mentioned that Nintendo "always tends to rotate new colors/bundles in and out, for all its products." One can't deny that claim, considering many Japanese companies sell several exotic color variations of their products to entice design-centric consumers.

In related news, a brief Nintendo statement notified consumers today that a Japanese 3D-video delivery service for 3DS ends June 20. The channel offered various short 3D clips produced by Nippon TV and other local broadcasters, and served over 1 million visitors.

Did you like the Aqua Blue 3DS, or do you think the Cobalt Blue variant appears more attractive?

Clarification 11:35 a.m. PT, May 15: The story has been altered to note that the Aqua Blue Nintendo 3DS will only disappear in Japan. "That announcement was actually specific to Japan's plans, and Nintendo of America doesn't have anything to announce at this time regarding it," a Nintendo representative told Crave.

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Crave contributor Christopher MacManus regularly spends his time exploring the latest in science, gaming, and geek culture -- aiming to provide a fun and informative look at some of the most marvelous subjects from around the world.
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